The present invention is generally directed to a system providing automated measures for maintaining safe visibility for lens surfaces of various vision protective devices. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a system having sufficient measures for automatically removing liquid, mud, dirt, or other such vision obstructing debris from protective lens surfaces of various vision protective devices like goggles eyewear, face shields, or the like. The system enables substantially hands free operation to clear the lens surface(s) as needed to maintain ample visibility therethrough. Safe visibility may be preserved thereby, even while the user is operating a vehicle, handling a tool, or carrying on other activities requiring active hands on control.
Most conventional devices providing vision protective lenses have like goggles, face shields, or other eye/face protective wear are provided without measures for active clearing when hit by water, dirt, or other vision impairing debris. A wearer is typically expected to manually ‘wipe’ off the obstructive debris and proceed. In many applications, however, the wearer's hands and attention are focused on a certain task which makes it difficult and impracticable for him/her to carry out such manual clearing action. Examples include a motorcyclist riding through rain in traffic, or negotiating turns and bumps on a dirty or muddy trail. They include among many others a technician operating a high powered tool or machinery requiring the strength and dexterity of both hands to keep the tool/machinery properly working. In such applications, it may be quite unsafe for the wearer to free a hand even for a moment to take even a quick clearing swipe to try and clear the obstruction. Typically, a wearer has no safe alternative except to stop what he/she is doing, clean the protective wear, then resume.
Even if the wearer were to manage a clearing action without undue hazard, it is often with ineffective and momentarily helpful results. Absent a drastic change in conditions, the cause of the initial obstruction (falling rain, ongoing travel through a given trail, . . . ) may linger for some time, and the clearing action may need to be repeated over and over again to be of any meaningful effect. Yet, to repeat the clearing action may raise the potential hazard to untenable levels.
There is therefore a need for a system for substantially hands free clearing of a vision protective lens of a device worn by a user. There is a need for such system that simply yet effectively removes liquid and/or solid debris from the vision protective lens surface so that the wearer's field of view therethrough is adequately preserved.